Battle of Ludford Bridge

The Battle of Ludford Bridge was fought on 12 October 1459 between the Yorkist and Lancastrian armies during the Wars of the Roses. The Lancastrian victory at Ludford Bridge forced the Yorkist leaders to flee to Ireland and the Pale of Calais, but the Lancastrians failed to exploit their victory, and the Yorkists returned within six months.

Background
Following the First Battle of St. Albans in 1455, both the House of York and the House of Lancaster generally disengaged, as both sides were shocked by the start of the Wars of the Roses. Duke Richard of York became Lord Protector of England, serving as regent for King Henry VI of England in London. However, Queen Margaret of Anjou emerged as the new leader of the Lancastrian cause, and, after the Yorkist leader Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick conducted unauthorized privateering operations against the Hanseatic League and Spain in the English Channel, Queen Margaret summoned the three main Yorkist leaders (York, Salisbury, and Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury) to a royal council at Coventry, deep in Lancastrian territory. Fearing that they would be seized and charged with treason upon arrival, the Yorkist leaders refused to attend, leading to the Queen indicting them for rebellion.

Battle
In the fall of 1459, the Yorkish and Lancastrian armies once again took to the field at Ludford Bridge near Ludlow in Shropshire. This times, the Lancastrians gained the upper hand, and the Yorkists were forced to seek refuge in Calais and Ireland. The Yorkists recovered quickly and returned to England in the summer of 1460, leading to the decisive Battle of Northampton. With Henry captured again, he agreed to a compromise with the Yorkists by which he would be King for life, and would be succeeded by Richard of York on his death. Queen Margaret's insistence that her son's inheritance be protected led to the Battle of Wakefield.